Watch timing recorder



June. 10, 1947. T. B. GlB BS 2,421,781

WATCH TIMING RECORDER Filed May 24, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l June 10, 1947. T. B. GIBBS 7 2,421,781

WATCH TIMING RECORDER Filed May 24, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Thomas B. Gib/b5 T. B. GIBBS/ WATCH TIMING REORDER June 10, 1947.

5 She'e-t-Sheet 3 Filed May 24, 1941 INVENTOR.

Flam/c2529. Gzlbbs wwmw WATCH TIMING RECORDER Filed May 24, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENT OR. Thomas 3 6 05108 wzww Wig/.2

June 10, 1947. T. B. GIBBS WATCH TIMING RECORDER Filed May 24, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Thomas .5. Gib/as W 3 1 W u/gi Patented June 10, 1947 WATCH TIMING RECORDER Thomas B. Gibbs, Delavan, Wis., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to George W. Borg Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application May 24, 1941, Serial No. 395,114

6 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to recording apparatus, and more in particular to an apparatus of this character which is adapted to make a graphic record showing the rate or frequency of some device or machine as compared with a standard frequency. As shown herein, the invention is especially designed for timing watches or clocks, but it may be used for timing any machine from which periodic currents can be generated at a frequency corresponding to its rate of operation. The object of the invention is to produce a new and improved recording apparatus adapted to the purposes set forth, which is more economical to manufacture, more convenient to use, and more eflicient than previous devices of the kind.

A special object of the invention is to produce a new and improved recording apparatus of the foregoing type in which reduction gears for driving the constant speed element are dispensed with.

Another object is to produce a new and improved watch timing apparatus comprising a printer unit, a standard frequency generator, a watch tick amplifier, and a power unit or rectifier, in which all the parts are mounted in one casing to form a compact and unitary device of this character.

A further object of the invention is to produce a new and improved printer unit for a watch timing apparatus, in which all the mechanical parts are compactly arranged and mounted on a unitary frame, whereby the unit is adapted for mounting in a casing along with other parts of the complete apparatus.

A further object is to produce a new and improved reading device for interpreting the records made in timing watches.

There are other objects and features of the invention, all of which will 'be described fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top view of the complete recording apparatus;

Figs. 2 and 3 are front and end views of the same, respectively;

Fig. 4 is a top view corresponding to Fig. 1, but on an enlarged scale and with the cover removed;

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section, full size, on the line 5-5, Fig. l, showing the printer assembly;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the printer unit shown in Fig. 5, see line 6-6 in the latter figure;

Fig. '7 is a partial vertical section taken on the line 'l-l, Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a section through one of the supports for the printer bar, showing the adjusting arrangement;

Fig. 9 is a section through the printing cylinder, on the line 9-9, Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic representation of the electrical circuit arrangements for controlling the printer; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a modified form of printing cylinder.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character I indicates a casing, which is preferably made of cast aluminum. The casing is rectangular in shape as viewed from above and may be about twenty inches long. The shape and proportions are shown clearly in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. All of the various parts of the recording apparatus are mounted on or inside this casing. Certain of these parts project or are accessible through openings in the top of the casing and are normally concealed by the cover 2, which may also be an aluminum casting. The cover rests on top of the casing and is held in position by two round-headed studs such as I4, Fig. 5, which project upward from the top of the casing at the opposite ends thereof.

Explaining the cover securing means briefly, the stud I4 is threaded into a tapped hole in the top of the casing and is locked by a nut I9.

The cover is cast with an internal rib I5 in which a hole is drilled of the proper size to receive the head of the stud l4. There is also a milled slot l6 which intersects the hole in the rib [5. A flat offset spring I! extends horizontally through the slot l6, being attached to the cover at one end and having a button l8 at the other. When the cover is placed on the casin in the proper position, the rounded head of the stud l4 enters the hole in rib l5 and as the cover is lowered the spring I! is forced to the left (as seen in Fig. 5), restoring to normal as soon as the head has passed, whereby the cover is locked. As previously inferred, there is a similar locking or securin means at the other end of the cover. When the cover is to be removed the operator merely has to press in the buttons I8 and E8, Fig. 1, and lift the cover off.

The cover has a rounded forwardly extending portion which is necessary in order to provide room for the motor 69. As can be seen from Fig. 4, the motor extends somewhat forward of the rear margin of the reading device 9. To the right of the projecting portion 5 and just behind the reading device 9 there i an opening which is closed by a transparent window 20, except for a narrow slit 2! through which the recordin tape is fed, as will be described more in detail later. The cover may be provided with ornamental ribs such as are indicated at 3, and with ventilating openings as indicated at 4. The ventilation scheme will also be explained more fully later on. A screen 38, Fig. 5, is adapted to catch small articles which may be accidentally dropped through the openings 4.

It will be seen that the cover 2 is narrower than the casing i, leaving a portion of the top of the casing exposed in front to form a shelf where certain parts of the apparatus are disposed convenient to the operator. These parts are a microphone 6, a volume control I, a threeposition switch 8, and the calibrated reading device 9 previously referred to. In the front wall of the casing are two sockets i2 and 13, adapted to receive the pin terminals of a head receiver cord.

The microphone 6 is used for picking up the beats of a watch being tested, that is, for converting the mechanical impulses which it receives due to the ticking of the watch into electrical impulses. A suitable microphone for the purpose is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,175,021, granted October 3, 1939.

The microphone E is provided with a support 22, which extends to the rear through a slot 24 in the cover 2 (see Fig. 2), and is secured to an L-shaped member 23, as shown in Fig. 4. The support 22 is secured to the vertical portion of said L-shaped member 23, which projects upward through the large opening 25 in the top of the casing. The horizontal portion of member 23 extends forward underneath the top of the casing and is provided with a cross member 26. By means of three elastic suspension devices 21, 23 and 29, the member 23 and cross member 26 are attached to the top of the casing. These suspension devices are similar to those used for supporting the printer unit, in connection with which they will be described more in detail. Sufilce it to say here that the arrangement shown serves to resiliently support the microphone and protect it against shocks and vibrations which otherwise might interfere with the proper respons to the watch beats.

The volume control '1 and the switch 8 are parts of the circuit arrangement and their functions will be explained in connection with the circuit diagram, Fig. 1.0.

The reading device may now be briefly described. It comprises the ring 9, of molded plastic material, which is rotatably mounted on the frame 30. The frame 30 is pivoted on a bracket 3| which is secured to the top of the casing. The frame and bracket can be seen in Figs. 1 to i, inclusive. The arrangement for rotatably mounting ring 9 on the frame 38 can be seen in Fig. '7. A short metal cylinder 32 is fitted tightly inside the ring 9 and has a bearing in an opening in the frame 35. Before assembling the ring to the frame a friction device such as a flat rubber washer 35 is slipped over the end of cylinder 32. Th cylinder is then inserted in the opening in frame 30 and the ring 34 is pressed on to hold the parts together. If desired, the ring 34 may be threaded onto the end of the cylinder. The reference character 33 indicates a Lucite disk which rests against the end of the cylinder 32 inside the ring 34. The ring is made with a thin lower rim which may be pressed down around the periphery of the disk 33 with a suitable tool in order to hold the disk in place.

The frame 30 carries a fixed index member 36, which is adapted to cooperate with a scale on the ring 9. The scale is adjusted with the aid of a series of parallel lines 31 which are inscribed in the Lucite disk 33. The manner in which the reading device is used will be described in detail during the explanation of the operation of the complete recording apparatus.

Reference may now be made to Figs. 5, 6, and '7 for a description of the printing unit. The various parts of this unit are mounted on a cast metal frame which is best seen in the bottom view, Fig. 6. It comprises two parallel side members 40 and M which are rigidl held in spaced relation by two upper cross members 42 and 43 and a single lower cross member 44. Fig. 7 shows the location of these cross members clearly.

The frame is mounted on the under side of the top of the casing by means of the three laterally projecting arms 45, 46, and 41, and three elastic suspension devices. The suspension device associated with arm 41 comprises a square plate 48 having an opening 52 therein and a rubber disk 49, the latter being thickened at the center and having annular lips 50 and 5| which li on opposite sides of the plate 48 and are secured thereto by cement. The plate 48 is secured by means of screws to four bosses 53 which project downward from the top of the casing l. A machine screw 54 extends through the thickened central portion of the rubber disk 49 and is secured thereto by th nut 55. The machine screw 54 extends through an opening in the end of arm 41 and is secured to the arm by means of nuts 56.

The described arrangement constitutes an effectiv means for resiliently attaching the arm 41 of the frame to the casing. The other two arms 45 and 46 are attached to the casing in the sam way, and thus the entire printer unit is protected from extraneous shocks to which the casing may be accidentally subjected. At the same time, and perhaps more important, the various tubes of the circuit employed, particularly the tubes of the tick amplifier, are insulated against shocks and vibrations which would otherwise be transmitted to them by the operation of the printer unit. As will subsequently appear, the tubes and other circuit parts are mounted on a metal chassis which in turn is secured to the casing. The complete chassis is quite heavy, as the parts mounted thereon include several transformers, and it is necessary for mechanical reasons to attach it rigidly to the casing. The danger of interference by vibrations coming from the printer unit to which the tubes might thus be exposed is, however, obviated by means of the resilient mounting of the unit, as just explained.

The power for operating the printer is provided by a two-speed motor unit which can be seen in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. This unit comprises a capacitative type two-phase synchronous motor and a speed reducing gear container 6l, these two parts being assembled together as a unit. The power unit is mounted on the side member 40 of the printer unit frame by means of three long machine screws which pass through three corners of the unit and are threaded into the three bosses B4, 65, and 68 which project from the side member 40.

The reference character 61 indicates the condenser which is connected in series with one of the motor windings to provide the requisite phase displacement, as may be seen from Fig. 10.

On the motor shaft 62 there is mounted a cylinder 10, which is provided with a spiral rib H which is part of the printing mechanism. The cylinder 10 is slightly more than two inches long and is secured to shaft 62 by means of a set screw 12, as seen in Fig. 5.

The manner in which the spiral rib is formed may be explained briefly in connection with Fig. 9, which shows the parts on an enlarged scale. The first operation is to mill out a spiral slot 13 in the surface of the cylinder 10. This slot makes.

one complete turn in exactly two inches measured along the axis of the cylinder, and its width is equal to the diameter of the steel rod (piano wire may be used) which constitutes the spiral rib H. The depth of the slot is less than the diameter of the rod, so that when the latter is assembled in the slot it will project slightly above the surface of the cylinder. After the rod has been inserted accurately in the slot it is secured in place by a swaging operation which upsets the edges of the slot, as shown clearly in the drawing.

The material on which the record is printed may be a paper tape, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7. The tape is supplied from a wooden spool 15. which is rotatable on the cylinder 16. The reduced ends of the cylinder are wedged in slots in the ears 1? and 18 which project upward from the top of the casing l. The cylinder '36 is thus removable, whereby an exhausted spool of tape can readily be replaced.

From the spool the tape M passes under a transverse rod '19 which is supported on the upwardly projecting ears 80 and 8i, formed integrally with the frame of the printing unit. The tape next passes between the feed rollers 82 and 83 and on to the cross member 42, which acts as a support for the tape. From here the tape extends forward above the cylinder iii and out through the slot 2i and on to the top of the casing l, where it is visible through the transparent disk 33 of the reading device. In the vicinity of the cylinder Hi the tape is supported by the upper surface of the casing and by the cross member 42, thereby relieving the spiral rib H of a tape supporting function except while printing is actually taking place and insuring free rotation of the cylinder is unimpeded by friction against the tape.

The feed roller 83 is the driven roller and is mounted on the shaft 84. This shaft has bear ings in a boss 95, projecting from side member 4! of the frame, and a boss 9|, projecting from the side member 43, as shown clearly in Fig. 6. By means of gears 92 and 93 the shaft 84 is coupled to the low speed shaft 63 of the power unit. The roller 82 is rotatably mounted at one end of a bifurcated lever 85, the other end of which is pivoted on the rod 85, which is supported on the two ears 8!) and =81. A coil spring 81 tends to rotate the lever 85 in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 7, thus pressin the roller 82 against the tape 74 at the point where the tape passes the drive roller 83. To prevent slipping, the roller 83 preferably has a knurled surface, while the roller 82 has a rubber sleeve or tire. This arrangement insures a reliable tape feed.

The printing ribbon 94 is carried on two identical spools 95 and 96, the latter being the driven spool. The spool 95 is rotatably mounted on a stud 97, 5, which projects to the right from a bracket '99 which is mounted on the boss 9|, as can be seen in Fig. 4. The stud 9'! is threaded at the end to receive the knurled nut 58. A friction washer IE6 is interposed between the spool 95 and the adjacent shoulder on bracket 99, and the nut 98 is tightened up just enough to prevent free rotation of the spool 95.

The ribbon $4 passes from spool 95 to a roller IDI, which is mounted on the extension member Hi2, which is formed integrally with the frame and projects upward from the side member 40. Near the base of the extension member H12 there is another roller Hi3 over which the ribbon passes after leaving the roller Isl. These parts are shown clearly in Fig. '7. At roller H13 the ribbon turns at a right angle and passes along just above the tape at the point where the latter crosses the cylinder It, finally passing over the roller HM and on to the spool 95, as shown in Fig. 5. Between the rollers 23 and I 04 the ribbon 9:3 does not extend parallel to the axis of the cylinder 73, but makes a slight angle therewith, as shown in Fig. 4. The reason for this arrangement is to enable a large part of the area of the ribbon to be utilized in the printing operations rather than the narrow strip in the center which would be utilized if the ribbon extended parallel to the axis of the cylinder and the printer bar I [5.

The spool 96 is driven from the shaft 84 which drives the tape feed roller 83. Describing the construction briefly, there is an integrally formed extension M15, Fig. 4, which extends upward a short distance from the side member M of the frame and then extend to the right. As shown more clearly in Fig. 6, the extension I05 supports a sleeve "36 having a head I131. The sleeve I06 provides a bearing for the shaft 168 which has a head 89 at one end against which the spool 96 is clamped by means of the screw I H]. The screw H0 is provided with a knurled head I ll so that it can readily be removed by hand. At the other end of the shaft 38 there is a gear wheel H2 which is in engagement with the worm wheel I I3 on shaft 84. Rotation of shaft 84 therefore rotates shaft I08 which rotates the spool 96 and draws the ribbon off spool 95 over the path previously described. When the ribbon becomes nearly exhausted on spool 95, the two spools are interchanged, which can be don by hand in a few moments, and the ribbon is wound up on spool 95 and unwound from spool 96. It will be understood in this connection that about a foot or so of the ribbon at each end is red, and that the appearance of red records on the tape notifies the operator that it is time to exchange the spools.

During the operation of recording, the ribbon 84 is periodically momentarily pressed against the tape 14 and the latter against the spiral rib H by means of the printer bar H5. The printer bar H5 is formed integrally with the side mem bers H8 and H! from a piece of stiff resilient wire or rod, the whole havin a generally .U- shaped formation in which the bar H5 is downwardly offset. The side members or rods 6 7 and II! are secured in blocks H8 and IIS which in turn are secured to the side members 40 and M of th frame, as can be seen from Fig. 4.

The means for operating the printer bar includes a polarized electromagnet, which is shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7. The complete magnet assembly includes a permanent magnet I20, a heel piece I2I, a coil or winding I22, and an armature structure I23. The latter comprises two plates secured above and below the flexible reed I24, which is clamped to the upper end of magnet I20 by means of two bras screws I2'I, as shown, these screws also serving to secure the heel piece I2I to the lower end of magnet I20. The coil I22 is surrounded by a laminated rectangular pole structure I25 which is secured to the heel piece I2I and which has a centrally disposed leg I28 which forms a, core for th coil. The magnet assembly is secured to the cross member 44 of the frame by the two screws I26 and two tubular spacers I29.

The armature of the electromagnet is connected to the printer bar II by means of a linkage comprising a cross bar I33, which is attached to the end of reed I24, and a U-shaped rod I30I32. The ends of the side rod sections I30 and I3I pass through openings in the ends of the cross bar I33 and are provided with nuts I34 which are tightened up against the cross bar. The horizontal rod section I32 rests on the rods IIS and II! of the printer bar assembly and is secured to these rods by soldering.

The adjustment of the printer bar is carried out by means of the nuts I34 and by means of adjusting screws in the blocks H8 and H9 which support the printer bar assembly. Reference to Fig. 8, which shows the block H8 in detail, will make the adjusting screw arrangement clear. The block II8 has an opening therein which at I38 is considerably larger than the rod H6 and at I39 is th same size as the rod. A set screw I35 provides for locking rod II6 against endwise movement, while an adjusting screw I36, provided with a lock nut I37, enables the rod to be bent downward to a small extent. Block II9, which holds rod Ill, is arranged the same as block I I8.

After the printer bar and its operating linkage has been assembled, the position of the bar in a horizontal plane is first adjusted. This is accomplished by moving the rods IIS and H1 in the blocks H8 and I19 until the bar H5 is exactly parallel to and directly above the axis of the cylinder 10, The set screws I35 are then tightened up. The parts are so proportioned that when the printer bar is locked in position as described above it is somewhat too far from the cylinder '10 and the spiral rib II thereon, which requires that the bar be lowered to the proper position. This is accomplished by turning in the adjusting screws I36, thereby flexing the rods H6 and Ill downward, but without permanently deforming them. Th printer bar should be just far enough above the spiral rib ll so as to permit free movement of the tape 14 and the ribbon 94 between the printer bar and the spiral rib; that is, the tape should ust clear the spiral rib, and the ribbon, which is in contact with the tape, should be just clear of the bar. In view of th thinness of the tap and ribbon it will be apparent that the spacing between the printer bar and spiral rib is very small, requiring only an extremely short movement of the ba to effect a printing operation. When the printer bar has been properly adjusted 8 the nuts I34 on rods I and I3I are tightened up enough to eliminate play in the linkage.

The rods II8, Ill, and I32 are preferably covered with close-fitting split rubber tubes such as I (see Figs. 5 and '7) and another split rubber tube MI is forced onto the cross bar I33, as shown in Fig. 6. The object is to prevent undesirable vibration of the parts.

Reference may now be made to Fig. 10 for the purpose of briefly describing the circuit arrangements employed, which may be similar to those disclosed in my pending application, Ser. No. 133,071, filed March 25, 1937, Patent No. 2,254,649, September 2, 1941.

In order to drive the motor 60 of the printer unit at constant speed, a source of alternating current of constant frequency is provided, which may be of any known character provided the requisite frequency accuracy is insured. As shown herein, the constant frequency alternating current source comprises a crystal oscillator, oper ating at a high constant frequency, a frequency divider controlled by the oscillator and having an output frequency on the order of 60 cycles per second, and a power amplifier for amplifying the frequency divider output to provide sufficient power for operating the motor. This apparatus is not claimed herein and is indicated by the labeled rectangles. For a full disclosure reference may be made to Patent No. 2,236,532, and to pending application, Ser. No. 323,578, filed March 12, 1940, Patent No. 2,304,813, Dec. 15, 1942.

The tick amplifier, which amplifies the output of the microphone 8 and converts it into impulses of watch beat frequency for operating the printer bar, may be the same as the tick amplifier disclosed in application, Ser. No. 133,071, above referred to. The amplifier includes a gaseous discharge tube which is triggered by the amplified watch tick impulses to periodically discharge the condenser I through the coil I22. Between successive watch ticks the condenser charges up through the resistance I46.

The circuit connections of the switch 8 are indicated clearly in Fig. 10. When the switch is in the off position, as it is shown in the drawing, all the circuits are open. When the switch is turned to the second position, labeled On in Fig, 4, the socket I0 is connected to the power unit or rectifier, labeled Rect. in Fig. 10, which furnishes power to the crystal oscillator, tick amplifier, etc., whereby the various tubes are placed in operative condition. When the switch 8 is turned to its third position, labeled Record in Fig. 4, the power supply to the rectifier is maintained, the circuit of the motor 60 is closed, and the necessary connection for charging the condenser I45 is completed. The apparatus is thus placed in condition for carrying out watch timing operations, as will be described shortly. The volume control "I is a potentiometer, which is suitably connected in the circuit of the tick amplifier.

The various equipment items which are comprised in the tick amplifier, rectifier, crystal oscillator, etc., consisting of various and sundry tubes, resistors, condensers, transformers, etc., are all suitably mounted on a chassis which is contained within the casing I. This chassis is a heavy perforated plate of sheet metal, indicated at the dotted line I in Fig. 2 and partly shown in Fig. 5. The side edges of the plate I50 are bent at right angles, as indicated at I5I, and each end is similarly formed as indicated at I52.

The chassis is assembled in the casing I through the open bottom thereof and rests against the shoulders formed by a plurality of internal ribs such as I53. There are two of these ribs at each end of the casing and two at each side. Fig, only shows one of the end ribs, as the side rib which may be looked for is immediately behind the electromagnet assembly which includes the coil l22. In order to secure the chassis in position, threaded studs such as 15% are inserted in tapped holes in the ribs such as I53. These studs pass through holes in the chassis when the latter is assembled, and a plurality of elongated nuts such as I55 which are threaded onto the studs I54 are effective to firmly attach the chassis to the casing. The nuts Hi5 extend nearly to the bottom of the casing and provide supports for the closure member Hi6, which may be a fiat plate of the same perforated metal material as is used for the chassis [58. The plate lfill may be secured to the nuts H55 by means of machine screws.

The down-turned end portion E52 of the chassis l5!) supports the socket i ll which is secured thereto in suitable manner. in alignment with the opening H in the casing.

The details of the mounting of the various tubes, etc., on the chassis may follow known practics and are not shown herein. It may be pointed out, however, that the various tubes are so lo cated with reference to openings in the top of the casing that they can be readily removed from their sockets while the chassis remains assembled in the casing. Thus the vertically mounted tubes such as IE0 are readily accessible through the large opening 25, also the two horizontally mounted tubes i6! and I52. A separate opening 53 is provided to give access to tube le i. Reference to Fig. i will make the foregoing cl ar.

It should be stated at this time that the openings in the top of the casing not only serve to give access to the parts but also function as air channels for cool ng purposes. Considerable heat is. generated in the motor 60, in a transformer indicated at l 55, and in the various tubes. These arts are all located in or directly below openin, the top of the casing. The casing is supported on feet I66, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, whereby air is permitted to enter beneath the casing all around. Due to the heat generated inside the casing as mentioned above. a circulation of air is established over a path which includes the perforated bottom plate $55, the perforate metal chassis I58, the opening in the top of the casing i, above referred to, and the openings 4 in the cover 2. the heat is carried off and an undue rise in the temperature inside the casing is prevented.

The operation of the apparatus in timing a watch will now be described. It may be assumed for this purpose that the apparatus is properly equipped with ribbon tape, shown in the drawings, and that a source of commercial alternating current. is available. A connection for the supply of current may be made by means of a cord terminating in a plug which is inserted in the socket ii].

Before proceeding. it should be stated that the apparatus is intended for timing so-called fivebeat watches, the five-beat frequency bein the frequency most commonly used in the United States. The motor speed preferably is 2700 It. M. Ti cylinder lil therefore rotates fortyfive times per second, or nine times for each beat of the watch being tested. The cylinder rotates in a counter clockwise direction, as seen from the right in Fig. 5, and there-fore the spiral rib H scans the tape 14 from right to left, as seen in Fig. 4.

The rate of scanning, which determines the accuracy and speed of the timing operations, is ninety inches per second. The spiral rib H traverses the circumference of the cylinder 70 in exactly two inches of its length, which means that exactly two inches of tape are scanned per rotation of the cylinder. Since the rotational speed is forty-five revolutions per second, the scanning speed is ninety inches per second, as stated. This speed has been found to be very satisfactory for timing watches.

The comparatively high speed employed not only secures a high degree of accuracy and dispatch in timing watches, but it enables the cylinder carrying the spiral scanning rib to be mounted directly on the shaft of the motor 60, thus dispenses with the use of reduction gears, which is a very decided advantage. Satisfactory operation, however, demands that the motor be capable of being quickly started and brought up to speed, and the rotating parts must accordingly have as little inertia as possible. To this end a very small cylinder is used. As can be seen from Fig, 7, which is full size, the cylinder is only slightly over two inches long and is approximately fiVe-eighths inche in diameter. is preferably made of aluminum, to further reduce the weight.

The watch to be tested is secured to the microphone 6 by means of a clamp which is provided for this purpose. The switch 8 is then turned to the On position, which connects the socket ill with the power unit or rectifier. Power is now supplied to the various tubes, and the circuits are thus placed in operating condition. As soon as the tubes have warmed up, the tick amplifier will begin to amplify the tick impulses received from the microphone 6, and the regularity of the amplified impulses may be checked, if desired, by listening to them with a pair of ear phones. The terminals l2 and I3 are provided so that the head phones may be connected up for this purpose. As is well known, certain defects in the operation of a watch may be detected in thi manner.

The timing operation is started by turning the switch 8 to the Record position, thereby closing the circuit of motor 50 and the circuit for charging the condenser M5. The motor 60 accordingly starts to run and in a matter of one or two seconds will have attained synchronous speed, driving the cylinder it at a constant speed of forty-live rotations per second. At the same time the tick amplifier becomes effective to discharge the condenser hi5 through the coil l22 once at each beat of the watch. Periodic impulses are thus transmitted to the coil 22 at the Watch beat frequency, which cause momentary energizations of the electromagnet. At each energization the printer bar H5 is pulled down sharply, pressing the ribbon and tape 14 against the spiral rib l i thereby printing a mark on the tape. The impulse are powerful but extremely short, and hence the impressions printed on the tape are clear and distinct, notwithstanding the rotation of the cylinder 19 and the spiral rib H. The impressions are spaced out in a line running generally lengthwise of the tape because the tape is fed forward through the machine by the drive roller 83, which is geared to the motor as previously explained. As soon as the line is long enough to read, about one and one-half inches is usually sufficient, the switch is turned back to the On position, thereby stopping the motor and the tape feed.

The direction of the line formed by successive marks or impressions indicates whether or not the rate of the watch is correct, and if not correct, whether it is fast or slow. The first mark is printed at some random position on the tape, depending on the instant position of the spiral rib H. If the rate of the watch is correct, the next printing impulse will occur exactly one-fifth of a. second. later, and since the spiral rib makes exactly nine rotations in one-fifth of a second, the resulting mark will be printed in exactly the same transverse position on the tape as the first mark. Subsequent printing impulses will also be received at one-fifth second intervals and hence the marks will all lie on a line which is parallel to the edge of the tape, as indicated at H0, Fig. 4. The record I19 shows that the rate of the watch is correct.

In case the rate of the watch is slow, successive printing impulses will be more than one fifth second apart. The spiral rib rotates at a speed of forty-five rotations per second; that is, it scans the tape nine times in exactly one-fifth of a second, and hence will gain on the watch. Since the direction of scanning is from right to left, each successive mark will be printed on the tape to the left of the preceding mark, and the direction of the line will trend to the left. A record of a watch which is running slow is shown at I'll.

If the rate of the watch is fast, the converse of the above is true. The watch gains on the spiral scanning rib, and each successive mark is printed to the right of the preceding mark. The resulting row of marks trends to the right, as shown at I12.

The printed records above referred to and shown in Fig. 4 are typical of records which may be made in practice in timing and adjusting a watch. The first record to come out of the machine, the record at I12, showed the watch to be running fast. An adjustment was then made, it may be assumed, and the watch was re-tested, with the result indicated at I'll. This record shows that the adjustment was carried too far, for it corresponds to a rate which is slow, and indicates that further adjustment is required. The record H made on the next test shows that the rate is correct.

While an experienced operator can quickly adjust a watch as described in the foregoing, the operator usually desires to know just how much a watch is fast or slow, the error being customarily reckoned in seconds per day. To enable the amount of the error shown by a given record to be quickly calculated, the paper tape may be ruled with transverse lines, dividing it into timing divisions, and with rate lines which extend parallel to the edge of the tape, as shown in Fig. 4.

The timing divisions are of fifteen seconds duration and in terms of tape feed are one and one-half inches in length. The tape feeding mechanism is accordingly arranged so that exactly one and one-half inches of tape are fed through the machine in fifteen seconds. To ac complish this, the circumference of the feed roller 83 may be three inches and the total speed reduction may be 1350 to 1. The feed roller will therefore rotate twice per minute and will advance the tape at the rate of six inches per 12 minute, or one and onehalf inches every fifteen seconds.

The spacing of the rate lines depends on the scanning speed. In order to determine the transverse distance by which a line of record marks will depart from parallelism in a fifteen second timing interval if the watch being tested has an error of one second per day, the following proportion may be used:

dzl350=1186400, in which d=transverse distance in inches;

1350=total distance scanned in fifteen seconds l assumed error in seconds per day;

86,400=total seconds in one day.

\ 1e record. Where the error is very small, however, it may be desirable to make a. record which is several timing divisions in length. In any such case the error can be calculated by the equation:

E- X It in which E==error in seconds per day; T=length of record in timing divisions; R=rate lines crossed by record.

The ruled paper tape is convenient in cases where the records are preserved and have to be inspected or compared with other records outside the machine. In ordinary timing operations it is usually more convenient to use the reading device. The error indicated by a record is a function of the angle which the record makes with the edge of the tape. The reading device is so calibrated with reference to the constants of the machine that it converts the angular direction of a record directly into the amount of error in seconds per day.

In using the reading device, the operator will proceed with the timing operation as described, and will stop the machine by turning the switch 8 from Record to On, as soon as a long enough line of impressions has been printed to reach substantiall across the transparent disk 33 of the reading device. The line of impressions is clearly visible through the disk, as indicated in Fig. 4. The ring 9 is now rotated by hand until the line 31 which is nearest the record is parallel therewith, whereupon the error in seconds per day may be read on the scale with the aid of the index 36. The reading device enables blank paper tape to be used, which is considerably cheaper than the ruled variety shown in the drawing.

After a watch has been timed and regulated the strip of tape on which the record appears may be readily torn off for delivery to the customer along with the watch. In order to accomplish this the reading device is turned on its hinge to a vertical direction, which enables the tape to be raised at an angle of about forty-five degrees and torn at I 13 the lower edge of the window 20. The reading device may then be returned to its normal position.

The apparatus described may also be used in timing six-beat watches, the procedure being the same as in timing five-beat watches. The record produced, however, is different, as may be ex plained briefly.

The speed of the motor is forty-five revolutions per second, and consequently the spiral scanning rib H passes the printer bar forty-five times per second, a value which is evenly divisible by five, the digit corresponding to the beat frequency of a five-beat watch. This accounts for the fact that in timing a five-beat watch successive record marks are printed on a single line. The number forty-five is not evenly divisible by six, however, the digit corresponding to the beat frequency of a six-beat watch, since the digit six goes into the number forty-five seven and one-half times. This fact indicates that successive record marks printed in timing 2. six-beat watch will not be printed on a single line, but in two lines. They are printed in two lines because on every alternate beat the total number of spirals which has passed the printer bar is a whole number. If the totals are computed we obtain the series of numbers, 7 15, 22 39, 37%, 45, etc. The watch beats which correspond to the alternate whole numbers are printed on one line, while the watch beats corresponding to the numbers having remainders are printed on. another line which is separated from the first by a distance of one inch. The spacing is determined by the fact that each spiral scans two, inches of tape and the fact that the fractional remainder is one-half.

From the foregoing it will be seen that in tiniing a six-beat watch two parallel lines of record marks are obtained. Either one of these lines may be considered in determining the amount of the error.

Reference may now be made to Fig. 11, which shows a modified form of cylinder which m ay be substituted for the cylinder iii. The cylinder 2'35! has two scanning ribs 25?! and 2122 instead of a single scanning rib. The ribs 28! and 282 are the same as the rib ii on cylinder it, except that each of the former traverses an angular distance of 181' degrees in two inches of the cylinders length, instead of the 360 degrees traversed by the rib 1i.

When the cylinder 2% is substituted for the cylinder iii, the number of spirals which. pass the printer bar during each second is equal to ninety (90), which is the product of the number of revolutions per second 45) and the number of spirals on the cylinder (2). Since this number is evenly divisible by both five and the apparatus will make single line records when timing either fiveor six-beat watches.

In the interpretation of the records in terms of seconds per day error, account must be taken of the fact that the scanning speed has been doubled. This means that an error of one second per day will produce a fifteen second record which. departs from parallelism by one thirty-second of an inch instead of one sixty fourth of an inch. The one-eighth inch spacing between rate lines therefore corresponds to an error of four seconds per day instead of eight seconds per day. and all results obtained either by calculation from the timing division and rate lines or by use of the eading device must be divided by two. The accuracy or the speed are, however, increased in the same proportion. That is, with a given timing interval the accuracy is doubled, or to obtain a record of given accuracy only half the time is required.

The necessity of dividin the results obtained with th reading device by two may be objectionable in some situations and to overcome this a different set of gears may be furnished to be substituted for the gears 92 and as which drive the tape feed roller 83. The substitute set of gears is arranged to double the speed of the tape feed, which will cause the reading device to indicate the error correctly.

The modified apparatus described in the foregoing is satisfactory, but the gain in speed and accuracy which is secured by the increased scanning speed is not an unalloyed blessing, as may be surmised from the fact that the scanning speed adopted for the preferred embodiment of the invention is ninety inches per second rather than one hundred eighty inches per second. Many Watches which come to the jeweler or repairman for regulating and adjustment do not beat even- 1y; that is, the time intervals between successive beats are not equal. The records made by such watches are in two lines, the spacing between the lines depending on the amount of the inequality between alternate beats and on the scanning speed. With a scanning speed of ninety inches per second, it is found that the lines in the records of watches in poor adjustment may be as much as one-fourth of an inch, or in extreme cases even as much as one-half inch apart. These distances are multiplied by two if the scanning speed is doubled, which demonstrates that there is a practical limit to the scanning speed employed in timing the general run of watches which come in for repairs. In general, therefore, it is preferable to sacrifice some degree of speed and accuracy for the sake of avoiding difiiculty in timing watches which are in a bad condition of adjustment. These considerations do not always apply, of course. A watch repairman engaged. exclusively in the regulation of high grade railroad watches would rarely, if

ever, meet with such extreme cases of maladjustment and would prefer a watch timing apparatus in which the higher scanning speed is used.

Following the principles explained in the foregoing, other modifications may be made. The cylinder speed of forty-five rotations per second is used in the preferred embodiment of the invention because a scanning speed of ninety inches per second is perhaps the most desirable for general purposes and is obtained with the mentioned cylinder speed by using a single twoinch spiral on the cylinder. Other cylinder speeds may be used, however. To obtain a speed of forty-five rotations per second, a standard frequency of ninety cycles per second may be used, with four-pole motor. By using a standard. frequency of sixty cycles per second and the same motor, a cylinder speed of thirty rotations per second is obtained. in a machine using the double spiral cylinder running at thirty rotations per second, sixty spirals will pass the printer bar every second. Since this number is evenly divisible by five and the machine is adapted for timing both five" and six-beat watches. The scanning speed is one hundred twenty inches per second, which is perhaps a trifle high but not enough so as to cause any particular difliculty. In fact, in some situations the somewfziat higher scanning speed be preferable.

If a standard frequency source having a frequency of one hundred ten cycles per second is used, a cylinder speed of fifty-five rotations per second is obtained. If a single spiral cylinder is used, the number of spirals passing the printer bar per second is fifty-five, a number which is evenly divisible by five and five and one-half. In this way a machine can be constructed for timing fiveand five and one-half-beat watches.

A cylinder having three spirals may be used in the machine described in the foregoing paragraph to adapt it for timing five-, five and onehalf-, and six-beat watches. The cylinder may be the same as cylinder 209, Fig. 11, except that it has three equally spaced spirals instead of two. With this arrangement the number of spirals passing the printer bar per second is one hundred sixty-five. This number is evenly divisible by five and by five and one-half, and is divisible by six with a remainder of one-half. Watches of all three beat frequencies may be timed, therefore, although two lines are printed when timing six-beat watches. The scanning speed is three hundred thirty inches per second, which is excessively high for most purposes, as will be understood from the previous explanation.

It is generally preferable, therefore, to adopt a different expedient if a machine for timing watches of all three beat frequencies is to be constructed. It is known, for instance, that a standard frequency source can be made from which either of two different output frequencies can be obtained at will. By using a standard frequency source of this type, having output frequencies of fifty-five and sixty cycles per second, or one hundred ten and one hundred twenty cycles per second, the desired results can be obtained, as will readily be understood.

Another arrangement that can be employed involves the use of two cylinders having eleven and twelve spirals, respectively. Three spirals is about the limit for a cylinder of the size of the cylinders E6 and 20D and hence larger cylinders must be used, which requires a modification of other parts of the machine in order to provide the requisite space. The cylinder speed is preferably five rotations per second, which requires the use of reduction gears between the motor and cylinder. The cylinders are readily interchangeable, the cylinder having eleven spirals being used for timing five and one-half-beat watches and the cylinder having twelve spirals being used for timing six-beat watches. Either cylinder may be used for timing five-beat watches.

The invention having been described, that which is believed to be new and for which the protection of letters patent is desired will be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a recording apparatus for watch timing and the like, printing means including a constant speed element for marking a record tape, a motor for driving said element, tape feeding means geared to said motor, a constant frequency generator for supplying power to said motor, a watch tick amplifier for controlling said printing means, a three-position control switch having an off position and two control positions, circuit connections completed in the first and second control positions for supplying power to said generator and amplifier, and circuit connections completed only in the second control position for closing the motor circuit and for rendering the tick amplifier effective to control said printing means.

2. In a timing apparatus, a. cylinder, a spiral said ribbon across and above the tape where the latter passes said cylinder, a printer tape adapted to momentarily press said ribbon and tape against a random section of said rib while the cylinder is rotating, an opera ing magnet on the opposite side of said tape from said printer bar, and mechanical links connecting the ends of the printer bar with the armature of said magnet.

3. In a timing apparatus, supporting means for a roll of tape, a shelf, means for feeding the tape from said roll on to said shelf, a cylinder having a spiral rib thereon located beneath the tape at a point between said feeding means and said shelf, said rib being normally spaced away from said tape, means for rotating said cylinder at constant speed, means including said shelf for supportin said tape independent of said cylinder, and means including a ribbon and printer bar on the opposite side of the tape from said cylinder adapted to cooperate with the spiral rib thereon to make a row of marks on the tape.

4. In a timing apparatus, a printer unit comprising a frame, a constant speed motor mounted on said frame, a cylinder having a spiral rib mounted on the shaft of said motor, a printer bar resiliently mounted on said frame and extending parallel to the axis of said cylinder and in spaced relation thereto, means for feeding a tape and a ribbon between said cylinder and bar in directions at right angles to each other, the said ribbon crossing the tape beneath said bar, means for adjusting the normal position of said bar relative to said cylinder, an electromagnet mounted on said frame on the opposite side of the cylinder from said bar, two pull rods connected to opposite ends of said bar and extending past the edges of said tape to said electromagnet, and means for connecting said rods to the armature of said electromagnet.

5. In a timing apparatus, a printer unit comprising a frame, a constant speed motor mounted on one side of said frame and having its shaft extended within the frame, a cylinder bearing a spiral rib mounted on said shaft extension, 2. second shaft extending parallel to the motor shaft and having bearings in said frame, gears for driving the second shaft from the motor shaft at reduced speed, means including a roller on said second shaft for feeding a strip of record material past said cylinder, a printing ribbon contained in spools mounted on said frame, means for driving one of said spools from said second shaft, means for guiding a section of said ribbon across said strip at the point where the strip passes said cylinder, a printer bar resiliently mounted on said frame and extending lengthwise of said cylinder above said ribbon, and electromagnetic means mounted on said frame for actuating said printer bar to print a line of marks on said record material.

6. In a timing apparatus, a casing having a fiat top with an opening therein, a printer unit suspended in said opening, a cover for the printer unit having side walls resting on the top of said casing, one of said side walls being adjacent a margin of said opening and having a recess which cooperates with the top of the casing to form a slot, means included in said printer unit for feeding a strip of record material through said slot 1 7 and along the top of said casing, and means for making a row of marks on said strip just before it passes through said slot, said means including a spirally ribbed rotatable cylinder forming part of said printer unit and disposed inside said casing with its rotation axi parallel to said slot.

THOMAS B. GIBBS.

EEFERENQE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 18 Name Date Woodruff Sept. 7, 1937 Caldwell et a1 Apr. 12, 1938 Pfeifier Feb. 21, 1939 Fetter et a1 Apr. 25, 1939 McCleary May 16, 1939 Gibbs Oct. 3, 1939 Mackenzie Apr. 23, 1940 Hogan et a1 June 4, 1940 Buettell Feb. 4, 1941 Turner July 29, 1941 Gibbs Sept. 2, 1941 Hibbard Oct. 14, 1941 Jones Aug. 8, 1933 Brown June 7, 1927 Mettler Sept. 7, 1926 Zworykin et a1 May 16, 1933 Bokovoy et a1 Nov. 1, 1938 Morgan Jan. 14, 1941 Artzt May 12, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Oct. 28, 1914 

